Who I once was
by TwistedFortune
Summary: Freelancer Ohio was just trying to get by as a Freelancer and save the Alpha AI, but when he is captured by the Director during the Freelancer Break in, who he was and what he is will change drastically along with his life. Experience Ohio's fall as a Freelancer and to a Simulation soldier.


**-A few weeks ago-**

"No... Please it can't be..."

"I'm afraid it is so."

Alpha sunk to his knees in misery and pain as the sadistic torment the Director was causing him continued.

"They're never coming back... Never coming back..." The Alpha muttered as a new AI Fragment was being born: Psi.

"All of your friends have died." Alpha let out a cry of sorrow as he banged his head against he floor, laying in a slump. "No... no..." Alpha muttered as he tore his depression from his being.

The Director smiled as a new AI was created. "Excellent." The Director walked over to the storage unit and took it from the pedestal. "Here we go." From the Storage unit, a small blue SPARTAN appeared. "Hello there, Psi." The Director said as the Counselor wrote a few things down on a clipboard.

The AI didn't move, but instead looked up at The Director, and flashed from blue to orange quickly. "Hmm..." The Director pondered.

"Please... Let me be alone..." The AI spoke.

The Director observed the blue AI. "It appears as though the Alpha fragmented his depression..." The Director came to the conclusion.

"Mmm... yes..." The Counselor said, not looking up from his clipboard. "But if implanted in a soldier, what would be the result?"

The Director shrugged. "We'll see when the time comes but for now, place Psi in the storage room." The blue figure shot back into the storage unit as a Security Soldier picked the unit up and carried it out of the room.

"Sir, I don't believe that he should be implanted in a soldier, it could cause..." The Counselor began but was shushed by The Director. "Do not question my decision, Counselor."

The Counselor sighed, not wanting to argue he apologized and the Director dismissed him.

**-Present Day-**

Freelancer Ohio loaded a fresh clip into his Battle Rifle as bullets flew past his head. "Ohio, cover me!"

"On it, York." Ohio stood behind Agent York as York began to fiddle with the lock, he fired his weapon back at his assailants for a moment before he heard the door open. "Got it!" York ran into the room with Ohio trailing behind, he closed the door and locked it back, and then shot the controls for good measure.

York ran over to a console and began to rapidly type on the keys, the screen lighting up as he did so.

Outside the room, security soldiers were gathering around the door trying to get it open.

"York, I could use a little help here - How about a distraction?" The voice of Agent Texas came over York's radio. "On it, Tex." York grinned as he thought of a distraction, he pressed a few buttons on the keyboard. "Missiles armed." The robotic voice of F.I.L.L.S was heard overhead. York then pulled a switch unleashing hell upon the ship.

"Firing missiles."

The entire ship shook violently as a barrage of it's own missiles rained down upon itself.

"You call that a distraction?" Tex's voice was heard over the radio again. "Men." he could hear her mutter. Suddenly, the door to the room began to be cut through from the forces outside. "York, they are coming in soon!" Ohio said as he crouched infront of the door, aiming down the sights of his weapon preparing for the enemies to poor in.

"York, I need help! I'm pinned down from a tank!" Tex's voice came over the radio again. York, thinking fast quickly pulled a few switches and pressed a button. "Warning, gravity offline!"

Ohio and York, along with the other inhabitants of the ship, began to float in the air. "Thanks, York." Tex said.

Suddenly the door to the room burst open and a barrage of bullets poured into the room immediately afterward. "Ah fuck..." York muttered as began to fire at the soldiers. "Ohio, come on!" York said as he pulled a grate down off a vent, giving them an exit.

"Coming!" Ohio said as he floated up into the vent, but before he could go any further a stray bullet shot into his leg. "Agh!" Ohio screamed in pain as he grabbed his leg.

"Ohio!" York screamed as bullets were fired at him, he quickly flew into the vent which protected him from the bullets raining down onto it. "Sorry Ohio..." York sighed sadly as he crawled deeper into the vent.

"Get him!" One of the soldiers yelled, Ohio quickly began to float into the vent but he was yanked down by one of the soldiers below. He quickly aimed his weapon but it was taken out of his hands as a dart went into his neck and he was held down by a soldier.

The world slowly grew dark around Ohio as he began to feel sleepy, not wanting to give up he used his brute strength and forced himself out of the soldier's grip, grabbing his gun and firing on them.

He managed to take out one or two before he was engulfed in total darkness as the effects of the dart took place.

"Get him to the cells." Was the last thing he heard as he drifted away from the world...

**-****A few days after the Break In-**

Ohio stirred as he slowly sat up on the hard surface of his cell's bed, he immediately grunted and grabbed his leg which was now bandaged.

After a few minutes, the door to his cell opened and two security guards entered, taking their place by the door guarding it.

Then, in came The Director.

Ohio gritted his teeth as he tried to climb off the bed, but the Security Soldiers quickly rose their weapons and aimed in warning, Ohio then sank back down to the bed.

"How are you feeling, Agent Ohio?" The Director, obviously not interested. "Don't try and butter me up, Director." Ohio spoke with venom on his tongue. "I know what you've been doing, we all know."

The Director frowned. "I am very disappointed in you, soldier" The Director began. "I gave you everything, and now you betray me..."

Ohio clenched his fist. "I betrayed you!? You have been doing terrible things, ILLEGAL things, lying to us, and I betrayed you!?" Ohio yelled, but The Director ignored him as he continued. "A punishment is in order, Ohio." The Director said ominously as he walked out of the room, the security soldiers trailing behind him.

"I can take anything you can dish out!" Ohio yelled after him, the Director smirked. "We'll see about that..." He whispered. "Go tell the nurse to prep Ohio for surgery." The Director said to one of his guards. "Yes sir." The soldier bowed his head slightly as he walked off.

"We'll see..."

* * *

Ohio floated above the surgery table as he was flipped over, the doctor stuck a few syringes of a strange liquid into his arm and then the process began. a numbness spread across Ohio's body as he felt a prick in the back of his head, and something go into it.

"Done." He heard a voice say as he descended to the floor. He slowly rose up. "How do you feel?" The doctor asked. Suddenly, something inside of him began to go wrong...

"Augh... Pain..." Ohio said as he felt an extreme amount of dread and depression overcome his body. He fell to his knees, gripping the sides of his head in an effort to make it stop.

"What's going on?" The Doctor said. "Get him back on the table-"

"No." The Director walked in the room. "Leave him be."

Ohio began screaming in pain and misery as he squirmed on the floor. "The AI... It's..." The Counselor began "It's killing itself." The Director finished.

"Just like with Agent Washington." The Director said as Ohio continued screaming. "MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE!" He yelled. It took Ohio every amount of strength he could usurp to reached up to the back of his head and get a grip on the AI Chip, before he forcefully began to tear it out. He began yelling louder and louder in pain as the chip finally came out, he then threw it across the room, no longer screaming, he closed his eyes and layed his head on the floor.

A group of doctors surrounded him as they checked him. "It appears that he has gone into a coma." One of them said. "Mmm..." The Director mumbled. "Put him in the recovery suite and notify me when he awakens." The Director then walked out of the room with the Counselor following him.

**-Days later in the recovery suite-**

Ohio slowly got up from the medical bed, rubbing the back of his head. "Where is this?" he wondered, he looked around and his eyes settled on a man in grey armor who was laying down, obviously unconscious. "Hello?" He called out to the man, who didn't respond, but he swore he heard him mutter the name "Allison..."

The door the the medical suite opened and The Counselor stepped in along with the Director.

"Hello there Ohio, how are you feeling?" Ohio didn't respond but he looked at the Director. "Are you talking to me?"

The Director nodded. "And... my name is Ohio...?" The Director cast a glance at the Counselor standing next to him, who shrugged. "It appears as though the depression was too great for him to handle, so he has repressed alot of his memories. He may or may not ever recover."

It took a moment to process this information. "Then Ohio is useless to us now." He sighed. "Hello?" Ohio, or who once was Ohio, questioned.

"I don't really know where I am, or who I am or why I'm here but what is going on?" He asked. The Director walked up to him. "Your name is Michael J Caboose." The Director said. "You signed up for the army."

"I did?" He rubbed the back of his head again. "I can't remember..." He trailed off.

"Yes. You did. You're about to be stationed at a base soon." The Director continued. "You're going to be stationed in..."

The Director rubbed his chin in thought. "Outpost 1-B, Bloodgulch."

Ohio, or Caboose, shrugged. The Director turned to the Counselor. "Take Caboose here to get his armor on and have him shipped to Outpost 1-B."

The Counselor nodded as he led Caboose out of the room, who was ready to begin his new life.

**A/N: Suddenly had this idea, I really think the idea of Caboose once being a Freelancer is a pretty neat one, especially seeing as to how it is highly plausible that his ability was Strength.**

**A review is greatly appreciated!**


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